Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Deliestrella’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Deliestrella’, characterized by its upright and uniform plant habit; vigorous growth habit; strong flowering stems; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; uniform flowering response; decorative-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets that are spoon-shaped with deeply dentate apices; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DELIESTRELLA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a cut flower and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Deliestrella’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous Chrysanthemum plants with unique inflorescence and ray floret forms and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in March, 2008 of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number DB 9707, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number DB 27807, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in May, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands since May, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Deliestrella’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Deliestrella’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Strong flowering stems.     -   4. Freely branching habit.     -   5. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   6. Uniform flowering response.     -   7. Decorative-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets         that are spoon-shaped with deeply dentate apices.     -   8. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the female parent         selection differ in ray floret color as plants of the female         parent selection have cream-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret shape as plants of the male parent         selection have oblong-shaped ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Zembla Funky’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Maasdijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Zembla Funky’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Zembla Funky’ differed         in ray floret shape as ray florets of plants of ‘Zembla Funky’         were curled with slightly dentate apices.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Zembla Funky’ differed         in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of ‘Zembla Funky’         were green in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Deliestrella’ grown as a spray type.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises close-up views of the upper (top of the photographic sheet) and lower surfaces (bottom of photographic sheet) of typical inflorescences and leaves of ‘Deliestrella’.

The photograph on the third sheet comprises close-up views of typical ray florets of ‘Deliestrella’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in ground beds in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of cut Chrysanthemum production. Plants were initially given two weeks of long day/short night treatments followed by short day/long night treatments to induce flower initiation and development. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and light levels were about 7,000 lux. Plants were nine weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Deliestrella’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number DB 9707,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number DB 27807,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 13 days             at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 15 days             at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous decorative-type cut             flower that is typically grown as a spray-type; upright and             uniform plant habit; vigorous growth habit.         -   Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Erect. Length: About             85 cm. Spray diameter: About 30 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Lateral branch length: About 3 cm to 20 cm. Lateral branch             diameter: About 3 cm to 6 cm. Internode length: About 3 cm             to 4 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent;             longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 146D.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 8 cm to 16 cm. Width: About 5 cm to 11 cm. Shape:             Roughly lanceolate, palmately lobed. Apex: Acuminate. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed, serrate; sinuses             parallel to convergent. Texture, upper surface: Pubescent,             rough. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent, slightly rough;             veins prominent. Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate.             Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A to             146B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             developed leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,             close to 147B to 147C. Fully developed leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 147C. Petiole:             Length: About 1 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent, slightly             rough. Color, upper surface: Close to 147C. Color, lower             surface: Close to 147C to 147D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative type inflorescence form with             spoon-shaped ray florets with deeply dentate apices;             inflorescences borne on terminals, arising from leaf axils;             ray and disc florets develop acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower             in the autumn and winter in the Northern Hemisphere; at             other times of the year, inflorescence initiation and             development can be induced under short day/long night             conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness); early and             uniform flowering response; plants exposed two weeks of long             day/short night conditions after planting followed by             photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about             49 days later when grown as a spray-type.         -   Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment,             inflorescences and foliage will maintain good color and             substance for about three weeks; inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit; when             grown as a spray type, about twelve inflorescences develop             per flowering stem.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6 cm to 9 cm. Depth             (height): About 3 cm to 3.5 cm. Disc diameter: Few             inconspicuous disc florets randomly interspersed among ray             florets. Receptacle height: About 5 mm. Receptacle diameter:             About 8 mm. Receptacle color: Close to 145C.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Diameter:             About 7 mm. Shape: Flattened spherical. Color: Close to             137C.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3 cm to 5 cm. Width: About 1 cm             to 2.5 cm. Shape: Spoon-shaped; lower 66% of floret is             fused, upper portion is strongly dentate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Fused. Margin: Entire. Angle: Initially upright to close to             45° from vertical with development. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number per             inflorescence: About 150 arranged in about ten whorls.             Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             145D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             NN155D.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Fused tubular, elongated. Apex:             Dentate. Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Number             per inflorescence: About five to ten randomly interspersed             among the ray florets. Color: Apex: Close to 145A.             Mid-section: Close to 16A. Base: Close to 145D.         -   Involucral bracts.—Length: About 7 mm to 12 mm. Width: About             2 mm to 7 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Rounded to             truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Number per inflorescence: About 30             arranged in about two to three whorls. Color, upper surface:             Close to 137C. Color, lower surface: Close to 137B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, fourth peduncle: About 9 cm. Length,             seventh peduncle: About 14 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Angle:             About 30° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent; longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Not observed.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been     observed to be tolerant to Fusarium oxisporum ssp. Chrysanthemi.     Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed to resistant     to pests and other pathogens common to Chrysanthemum plants grown     under commercial production conditions. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Deliestrella’ as illustrated and described. 